Blending VS Juicing

The question that was posed to me is: "Can I make juice in my Vita-mix?" (or other turbo charged emulsifier) 

You can make smoothies, soups (cold or hot), and blends in a blender or emulsifier. But you can only get juice by using a juicer. I have both a vita-mix and a juicer. I use them for different purposes and love them both...I would not want to give up either.


Putting carrots in your vita-mix will give you a thick, sludgy carrot soup type blend. Putting carrots through your juicer will give you a nice sweet carrot juice with little pulp. Pour it through a strainer for an even clearer juice.


A juicer gives you the nutritional and antioxidant value of the fruit and veggies without the pulp that requires chewing. It allows you to get the nutrients of 2-3 lbs of veggies in one juice, where it would be next to impossible to eat that amount in a meal.


A commercial strength blender gives you the opportunity to make smoothies, blends and soups from raw ingredients. This allows you to enjoy the foods you love while getting the full nutritional value available because you are eating them in raw form. Even hot soup in the vita-mix has not been cooked, thereby retaining full unaltered nutritional content.


If you don't have either, and want to purchase one piece of equipment to help you move to a healthier lifestyle, I would recommend getting a juicer first. (Next post we'll discuss types of juicers and recipes).


If you have both, then you have the opportunity to enjoy a diet of intense nutritional therapy prepared in a variety of ways.


But since the questions posed to me today was about the Vita-mix, here are a few raw blender recipes:


TOMATO COCKTAIL
1 Cup Fresh Tomatoes
1/2 Tbsp Lemon juice
1/2 Extra Lg Vegetable Bouillon Cube
1/2 Cup Boiling Water 
Dash Dry Mustard
Optional: Dash Salt


Note: For a cold version, use 3/4 cup ice in place of boiling water, and run for 1 minute or until smooth.


Place all ingredients in Vita-mix container in order listed. Secure 2-part lid. Select VARIABLE, speed #1. Turn on machine and gradually increase speed to #10; then to HIGH. Run for 2-3 minutes, until smooth. Serve immediately.


ORANGE JUICE PLUS
2 Medium Oranges, peeled and quartered
1/4 Cup Water
3/4 Cup Ice Cubes
1/4 tsp Vanilla Extract (may use a little more, to taste)


Variation: Add 1/2 cup fresh pineapple (or canned pineapple if canned without sugar)


Place all ingredients in Vita-mix container in order listed. Secure 2-part lid. Select VARIABLE, speed #1. Turn on machine and quickly increase speed to #10; then to HIGH. Run for 1 minute or until smooth. Serve immediately.


SWEET GREEN SMOOTHIE
20 oz Water
1 Tbsp Flax Seeds
1/2 Tbsp Hemp Seed
4 Tbsp Protein Powder (should be 1 scoop or 1/2 scoop depending on your brand of protein)
1 Cup fresh Kale (1 large kale leaf)
4 Cups fresh Spinach (roughly 4 good handfuls)
3 large frozen Strawberries (see below tip)
1/2 frozen ripe Banana (see below tip)
1 Lg spear frozen Pineapple (roughly 1/2 cup, see below tip)

Place all ingredients in Vita-mix container in order listed. Secure 2-part lid. Select VARIABLE, speed #1. Turn on machine and slowly increase speed to #10; then to HIGH. Run for 1 minute or until smooth. 
Makes approximately 40 oz of smoothie. Definitely a full meal or enough to share or to carry with you through out the morning or afternoon.


TIP
I keep sandwich baggies in the freezer containing 3 strawberries, 1/2 banana and cut up pineapple. When I make this smoothie I can grab a bag that is ready to go (saving time) and it makes the smoothie ice cold like a smoothie should be.


Do you own a juicer or a commercial strength blender, or both? Do you have a favorite blender recipe? Please share it so I can try something new.